Chinese, Wu
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A language of China
81,400,000 in China (2017). Total users in all countries: 81,501,290 (as L1: 81,437,890; as L2: 63,400).
Anhui province; Fujian province: Shangrao area; Jiangsu province: Chongming Island, Haimen, Qidong, and Qingjiang at mouth of and north of the Changjiang in Nantong area; Jiangxi province: northeast; Shanghai municipality; Zhejiang province: Jinhua, Quzhou, and Wenzhou.
5 (Developing). Language of recognized nationality: Han.
Taihu, Jinhua (Kinhwa), Taizhou, Oujiang, Wuzhou, Chuqu, Xuanzhou, Shanghai (Shanghainese), Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Youngkang, Quzhou, Suzhou, Shaoxing, Danyang, Chongming, Zhenhai, Tangxi, Wenling. Varieties of Taihu dialect are Piling, Su-Hu-Jia, Tiaoxi, Hangzhou, Lin-Shao, and Yongjiang; Chuqu subdialects are Chuzhou and Longqu; Xuanzhou varieties are Tongjing, Taigao, and Shiling. A member of macrolanguage Chinese [zho].
SVO; tone sandhi, tonal.
Used by all. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
Literacy rate in L2: 91% (2000 census, Han nationality). Fully developed. Bible: 1908–1914.